Pd growth and subsequent Schottky barrier formation on chemical vapor cleaned p-type GaN surfaces

Characterization of chemical vapor cleaned, Mg-doped, p-type GaN(0001) surfaces and Pd contacts sequentially deposited on these surfaces has been conducted using x-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopies and low-energy electron diffraction. The band bending and the electron affinity at the cleaned p-GaN surface were 1.4±0.1eV and 3.1±0.1eV, respectively. A previously unidentified band of surface states was observed at ∼1.0 eV below the Fermi level on this surface. The Pd grew epitaxially on the cleaned surface in a layer-by-layer mode and formed an abrupt, unreacted metal-semiconductor interface. The induced Fermi level movement with Pd deposition has been attributed to a complex interaction between extrinsic and intrinsic surface states as well as metal induced gap states. The final Schottky barrier height at the Pd/p-GaN interface was 1.3±0.1eV; the interface dipole contribution was 0.4±0.1eV.